“This place is weird, but interesting.” I observed with wizard sight.

I noted that the abyss was steeped in mana, how that came about without the friction between the five elements was a mystery. But alas I could see so much magical energy, but a lacking of most of the major elements.

I stopped in my tracks, hovering above my cave. I was quite proud of my aerial efforts, flying was not as difficult as I anticipated. After I fell the first six times. I have not entirely mastered my demonic abilities, but have ascended to the realm of petty dabbler.

Preferring the compact efficiency of spells, I loathed this animage style. Alas nothing ventured, nothing gained. Hovering in the sky I tried again to throw fire, managing a small gout of flame. It was not bad, faster then a spell, but not as powerful nor precise.

Finding spell components was a challenge, I have expanded my radius around this barren wasteland. Haven’t found any signs of other demons, this place seems to lack any semblance of civilisation, assuming demons had such things.

I grew tired of flying and quickly descended. Entering my little cave I marvelled at my expert masonry. Demon claws can slice through stone and so I made a table. I mean I made a wizards lab for spells and mighty concoctions.

It was hard to pretend that the situation was ideal. I would kill to return to my world and ransack my lab. I mean the components of the Abyss are fascinating, nothing beats the familiar.

I shook my head, I needed to focus on the task at hand. The assembled components I managed to scrounge up would work well enough. The elements arrayed on the table along with with the etched pentagram, it was time to cast my first abyssal spell.

Of course, it is a basic scrying spell merged with an abyssal link using the law of contagion. Basically it was a seeking spell that could in theory work in the abyss. With this I could repair the broken links to my demons and locate them.

It took some work to get everything prepped, the components available are not the typical. But the Abyss is sutured with mana, still haven’t figured out how. Though I suspect the Abyss has several complex elements to provide enough friction to generate mana. Regardless of my own suspicions, this place is the best to cast spells.

I think I have it now, once the last semantic gesture was done, I managed to reconnect my links. It was very odd to be following a link from inside the abyss, but whatever works. The links now repaired, I traced them in my mind. It was similar to astral projection, something I was surprised to do.

The spell of scrying generally doesn’t do that, this feels similar to consuming the spice and projecting into the astral plane. I will study that later, focusing I could vaguely sense there presence, oddly they were gathered together in the same place.

The vague outlines gave way to colour, shape and form. I could clearly see my demons, four of them, three second orders and one first order. I noted each of them one after the other. Astragoth was there, the man sized fiend with four arms, humming bird wings and greenish red skin was chugging a rather large mug.

The odd scene soon came into focus and I noted my demons were sitting around table, each partaking in a group drinking session. The location was rather hazy, but from what I could see, wooden table, chairs and an assortment of empty mugs. It looked like your typical tavern, how very odd, I didn’t think the abyss had such establishments.

He was seated across from three other demons I recognised as Kalrun, the bipedal fiend with small bat like wings, Etragos a similar four limbed fiend to Astragoth and finally the imp Jelmak, who liked like a red-skinned gargoyle.

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The four were laughing, drinking and being as merry as inebriated humans at a local tavern. It was the oddest sight, ignoring the fact they were in an abyssal tavern, I was pretty sure demons didn’t eat or drink. Even if they did, how could they get drunk?

“A toast to our accursed master!” Astragoth announced thrusting his mug in the air.

The three reciprocated with there own, clinking beverages before downing its contents.

“And to whoever did him in. I would buy them a drink for sending him to the grave.” Kalrun added gleefully.

“I wonder what killed him?” Etragos wondered.

“Who cares, he’s dead and good riddance!” Astragoth declared before waving over someone.

I couldn’t believe what I was seeing these demons were actually toasting my supposed death. I was aghast, shocked that they would. Actually now that I think about it, they are demons. Of course they would be happy if I died.

“Jelmak, stop being so gloomy, have a drink we are celebrating.” Etragos tried to cheer up the imp, obviously unsuccessful.

The imp appeared very down, sad even. I wondered why, his compatriots were ecstatic, toasting my death.

“I’m not being gloomy.” He protested. “I just don’t feel like celebrating.”

“Oh for lilith sake, are you sad our accursed master is dead.” Astragoth exclaimed.

“No, I’m just thinking that him dropping dead suddenly is not exactly the best thing for us.” The little imp replied angrily.

I didn’t see that coming, I always assumed my demons would all celebrate my death, which I had only been half right.

“Here we go again, defending our accursed master. You do know he enslaved us!”

“Yes but he wasn’t as bad as the others. You have heard the horror stories, they torture us for no reason at all. He didn’t do that, sure he had a stick up his rear and kept scribbling in that journal. But at least he didn’t torment us for the fun of it.” The little demon exclaimed, prompting shocked faces except for Etragos.

Etragos was nodding, something Astragoth noticed. “Not you to Etty.” He complained.

“What Astra, it’s not like he is wrong, our dearly departed accursed master was not that bad in comparison.” He explained.

I found Estragos words comforting, which was odd. Observing the demons in there natural habitate it was hard not to see them as people. They certainly acted like regular people just having a drink and toasting the death of an enemy. I mean that last part is unusual but not uncommon.

“Hey its not like he didn’t torture us!” Astragoth said angrily.

“Sure he tortured you with that pain spell but you did try to rip his throat out, as I heard it.” Etragos explained with a raised eyebrow and a cheeky grin.

I recalled that event, it was just after I conjured him a second time. I got to close and he nearly took my head off. I looked down at his claws, still razor sharp and deadly.

The demon looked to his companion, shocked and looked a little hurt. That did not last, he soon scowled angrily. He pointed his clawed finger at Etragos. “He had just killed me, ripped me from my mortal life and turned me into a demon. So naturally I was little ticked off.”

I froze with that statement, shocked, bewildered. I could not have heard that right. I listened some more, trying to parse this information.

“Oh right, I remember you were a new arrival unlike us.” Etragos recalled.

“Yes, not a pleasant experience, you all remember. Living life as a human, smoking some weed and boom suddenly your a slave. What’s worse you get greeted by Tizzy when you show up, that octopod has lost his marbles.”

“I don’t know, Boggy seems like a decent fellow. But yes Tizzy is crazy, I wonder why Lilith hasn’t killed him yet?” Etragos added, looking thoughtful.

After a time I tuned out there conversation, I was too shocked by there conversation. In fact I forgot to breath, what my demon, my first demon said. It matched my own experience, to the letter. I don’t know who this Tizzy or Boggy are, but he mentioned an octopod, it must have been the one I ran from.

How could this be, how could he have had the same experience. Was he transformed through this new conjury spell that Ephemia likely possesses? But I was the one that conjured him, using basic conjury spells, nothing new or ground breaking.

I was overwhelmed with ideas that could not be true, they cant be true. It must be lies, a trick, something demons are known for. And with that thought, I looked down at my hands, tracing the talons of my claws, cementing the fact that I was a demon.

“What in the Abyss!” Astragoth exclaimed loudly.

I looked to the demon, pulled from my thoughts and noticed him looking down at his mid section.

“I thought this link was broken with our accursed masters death!” He yelled, not caring about the volume of his voice.

His eyes darted around, narrowing on me. He could see me, or sense me, whatever the case, I needed to shut down the spell. Making the right semantic gestures, I quickly cancelled the scrying, the vision winked out and I was alone. Standing in the middle of a cave, shocked to me core, trying desperately to deny what evidence was providing.